


Total

by sabinelagrande



Series: Descriptive [5]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - BDSM Club, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Body Worship, Dirty Talk, Dom/sub, F/M, Face-Fucking, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Polymachina (Critical Role), Predicament Bondage, Rope Bondage, Rough Body Play, Rough Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-21
Updated: 2018-12-21
Packaged: 2019-09-23 20:46:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17087459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sabinelagrande/pseuds/sabinelagrande
Summary: Vax wants everything.





	Total

By the time Vax has gotten ready, not that he's ever going to be ready, not really, Tary has already arrived. He's laying out takeout containers on the coffee table and chit chatting to Vex, who looks up when Vax steps out of his room.

"I guess I'm going," Vax says.

"Tonight's the night," Tary says, in his usual blustery manner. "I won't lie and say I don't envy you a bit."

It's not a secret what Vax is about to do, or at least it's not a secret from Tary, but it still feels slightly weird to just be talking about it. "I'm sure you could arrange a little something for yourself," Vax says.

"Oh, I don't think I could do that," Tary says, in a voice that says he would definitely do that, given the chance. Vax decides not to point that out; he has literal years more experience than Tary and a very different interpersonal situation, so it would really just be winding Tary up. That's something Vax loves doing, but he's in the wrong headspace for it already.

Vex walks over and wraps her arms around Vax, holding him tightly for a long moment. "I hope it's everything you want, and I hope you never tell me about it."

"You can tell me about it if you want to," Tary says, and Vex snorts.

When Vax leaves, the two of them are on on the couch, under a blanket, with Thai food, wine, and Netflix. It's better this way; Vax has shared a lot with Vex, possibly too much by some measures, but this is one thing where they will definitely have to take separate paths.

He drives out to the club; it's usually closed on Thursdays, but Shaun has generously opened it for what he's been referring to as the "private engagement." That's one way to look at it, Vax supposes, but it feels pretty public to him, even with the small guest list.

Then again, Shaun isn't the entertainment. 

Vax knows the code to the front door, so he taps it out and lets himself in, walking past the front desk and further inside. He's been in the club before when no one else was there, helping Shaun set up for things, but it always feels weird to him, this kind of expectant stillness, like there's energy hanging in the air. Maybe he's brought it all with him; maybe those are just his expectations hanging there.

"Shaun?" he calls out.

"In here," Shaun replies from the office. The door is ajar, and Vax pushes it open. Shaun is sitting behind his desk; he looks good, his shirt a rich purple that suits his complexion, but Vax always thinks he looks good. He gives Vax a knowing grin that Vax can feel all the way down to his toes. "Why, if it isn't the man of the hour."

Vax walks over, kissing Shaun on the top of his head. "Something like that."

"Your adoring public will arrive soon," Shaun says, and he puts his hands on Vax's thighs as Vax sits down on the edge of the desk. "I'd ask if you were sure about all this, but I don't think that's what you want from me."

"It's not," Vax says, and Shaun chuckles.

"Then just put yourself into my clutches, my dear," Shaun says, running his hands up Vax's thighs.

"Aren't I always?" Vax says.

Shaun glances up, to where the security monitors are. "It looks like our guests are here," he says, and Vax looks over, watching as a car pulls into the parking lot, passing another that's already parked and just turning its lights off. Shaun stands up, and Vax catches him before he can move away, kissing him. Some of his desperation must show, because Shaun runs a hand down his back, steadying him.

"I want you to get ready," Shaun says, tucking a piece of Vax's hair behind his ear. "Undress, do some breathing, whatever it is that you feel is most effective. I'm just going to see to things, and then I'll be back."

"Alright," Vax says, kissing him again before Shaun walks out, shutting the door to.

Vax toes out of his boots and pulls his shirt off, folding it carefully before setting it on Shaun's desk. He is, to be honest, a little terrified. He doesn't suspect that anything tonight will be all that scary on its own, or at least not in an unfamiliar way, but the whole of it is what's getting to him. He's always been open for play with any of his friends, and so far that's been more positive than negative. But it goes so much farther than that; sometimes he feels like his heart is groaning at the seams with how much he loves them.

That's never been okay before; he's always been too much, too free with his affections, too fucking easy. It's only with Shaun and Keyleth that he's been able to start fighting his way out of that mentality. It's taken a lot of talking, a thing Vax hates doing, but he's getting there, embracing how he feels instead of stuffing it all into a box.

And tonight, the entire thing is going to be on vivid display, as he lets everyone take him apart.

Vax folds up his jeans and sets them on top of his shirt; he considers taking off his underwear, but unless he misses his guess, he's going to run up against someone who'd take great pleasure in removing it. He stretches, limbering up, trying to clear his head as he readies his body. It's starting to work, but the door opens again and his efforts go right out the window.

Shaun walks back in, giving Vax an appreciative once-over as he walks to the desk and opens a drawer. Out of it, he produces two items that are, by this point, pretty familiar to Vax.

"Are you ready, you gorgeous boy?" Shaun says, almost a purr.

"Do it," Vax says, steeling himself.

"Don't look so serious," Shaun says, fastening the collar around Vax's neck. He hooks his finger into the ring on the front and uses it to pull Vax in; the kiss is hard, almost harsh, and Vax relaxes, giving in to it. Shaun pulls away, and Vax leaves his eyes closed for another few seconds. He opens them as Shaun is clipping the leash to the collar, wrapping the end of it around his hand.

"That's much better," Shaun says. He starts walking out of the office, and Vax has no choice but to follow him. There's no turning back from this now; this is all happening.

He only has eyes for Shaun as they leave the office, passing through the lounge and into the dungeon. Vax quickly evaluates the room; he counts four people, two of them talking, but not loud enough to be audible to Vax over the music, the kind of moody, dark stuff that Vax likes to play to.

"Let's see," Shaun says. "Who should get a taste first? You might like a free-for-all, but someone's got to organize you a bit."

Vax knows this question is rhetorical; Shaun has probably scripted all of this already, and either way, Shaun knows exactly what's best for him. It takes a weight off of Vax, not having to be responsible for guarding his own best interests.

Shaun tugs on the leash, prompting Vax to follow as he walks over to where Scanlan is sitting. He's on the massage table, some supplies laid out on a stand next to him, and he's doing nothing to disguise his delight with all of this.

"Good evening, Mister Reynolds," Shaun says, with a smirk.

"And good evening to you and yours," Scanlan says, also smirking.

"Care to sample my wares?" Shaun says, pulling the leash until Vax is level with him.

Scanlan looks Vax up and down, rubbing his chin contemplatively. "You do have an eye for the good shit."

"It's my speciality," Shaun says. "And this one is only the finest."

"I could use some attention," Scanlan says. "Is he good with his hands?"

"You'll find him quite skillful," Shaun says.

"What about his mouth?" Scanlan asks.

"Even better," Shaun says, with absolute certainty, and Vax feels his face go hot. It's too early to get embarrassed, but this is doing it for him, like he's a commodity, a piece of property, laid out to be used.

"You know, I think I'll take you up on your generous offer," Scanlan says, slipping out of his shirt and setting it aside. "Feel free to sit down and join me."

"You know what to do," Shaun says, unclipping Vax's leash and sitting down. Scanlan is getting arranged, facedown with his head pillowed on his arms. Vax does know what to do, because Scanlan's love for body worship is neither a secret nor a surprise. There's a bottle of oil waiting, and Vax picks it up, pouring some into his hands.

"I have some thoughts about the music," Scanlan says to Shaun, ignoring Vax.

"I'm certain that you do," Shaun says, and he looks up to Vax for a moment; Vax doesn't know what to do with the pride he sees there.

"Theme nights are good," Scanlan says, settling into the table as Vax puts his hands on his back. "But you need more obscure themes. Disco nights are dead. Dubstep night has real potential."

They continue to talk, but Vax doesn't pay attention. He's not useful for the conversation; he's better served by focusing on his task. He doesn't know exactly how good he is at massage, but that's not actually the point. The point is that Scanlan is making him do this and giving him nothing in return; Scanlan's hedonism should be Vax's only concern. Scanlan doesn't even thank or praise him for it, leaving Vax to read his enjoyment only in the way he relaxes against the table or sighs when Vax finds a good spot. 

He knows that Scanlan is not actually ignoring him. It's a head game for Scanlan; he's going to let Vax tie himself into knots and enjoy that as much as or more than he enjoys the massage. He's got Vax on a string, and he'll sit there and watch him dance.

Vax's hands are starting to get tired when Scanlan pushes himself up. "Hold that thought," he says to Shaun, stopping the conversation that they are still having, which Vax has lost the thread of. Scanlan turns over and unzips his pants; he is, of course, not wearing underwear, but all that means is that it's easier to pull his cock out.

"Go ahead," Scanlan says, the first thing he's said to Vax, and Vax doesn't move for a moment, torn. It's so much worse and so much better that Shaun is right there and not making any move to leave; it feels dirty and freeing at the same time.

"Chop chop," Scanlan says, and Vax realizes both Shaun and Scanlan are waiting on him. It kicks him back into gear, sets him moving again.

It's not easy or comfortable to get into a good position to suck Scanlan off, but that just adds to it. Vax is inconvenienced, reduced, and it doesn't stop him from taking Scanlan's cock into his mouth. Scanlan wastes no time; he fists his hand in Vax's hair, guiding him as he fucks Vax's face. Vax can hardly get a breath, but he doesn't fight back. He just tries to relax and take it, make it as good as he can.

"Not bad," he hears Scanlan telling Shaun.

"We aim to please," Shaun says. There's a hand on the small of Vax's back; the angle is wrong for it to be Scanlan, so it's not hard to figure out who it is. The hand doesn't move, and Vax lets it ground him. This is okay; Shaun's not going to leave because of what Vax is letting Scanlan do to him, and Scanlan isn't going to be driven away just because Vax wants two things at once.

Vax's jaw is sore by the time he feels Scanlan getting close. Scanlan's grip tightens, and Vax just has to hold his breath and hope. Scanlan bucks up into his mouth, using him, getting every last bit of pleasure he can from Vax. The only warning Vax gets is that Scanlan holds him in place, stilling his hand as he comes down Vax's throat.

Vax sucks in a ragged breath when Scanlan lets him go. Scanlan doesn't apologize, just pats Vax on the shoulder. "I give it nine out of ten," Scanlan says.

Shaun laughs. "I thank you for your honest review."

"I'm still willing to give it my seal of approval," Scanlan says. "You can take that to the bank."

"I'll keep that in mind," Shaun says. "Was there anything else you needed?"

"I think I'm good for the moment," Scanlan says, putting his hands behind his head. "Do think about dubstep, though."

"I'll consider it," Shaun says. He tugs on the leash. "Come along."

Shaun leads Vax away, crossing to the other side of the dungeon, where Pike and Percy have their heads together, pointing things out to each other on the table behind them, the contents of which Vax can't see from his vantage point.

"Gilmore," Pike says warmly, as she looks up.

"Pike, my dear," Shaun says, with a dazzling smile. "And Percival," he adds, shaking Percy's hand. "Can I offer you a little time with my boy?"

"How fortunate," Percy says. "It just so happens that we have an opening for a victim."

"He means willing participant," Pike says.

"Call it what you will," Shaun says, unclipping the leash. "Just return him in one piece."

"You have our word," Percy says, and Shaun pushes Vax forward into their clutches. 

Neither Percy nor Pike say anything for a moment, both of them examining Vax. Pike is a bright spot; this is both figurative and literal, because she likes a spotlight on her ropework, the better to admire it. Vax must be dropping hard, because Percy looks downright threatening in comparison, a kind of darkness that he carries with him in his top mode. It makes Vax want to spill everything out of him, caught between the two of them and pulled apart.

"We'll start off easy," Pike says, uncoiling one of her ropes, feeling it through for knots as she considers Vax. 

"Must we?" Percy says, and he flicks Vax's nipple, making Vax jump. Percy is always a little bit of an asshole, but as a top, he's one hundred percent asshole; between Percy and Vax, there's always a bit of getting each other back, tit for tat, and Percy is almost certainly going to get in some retribution.

"You'll ruin the suspense," Pike says. She begins by holding the center of the rope at Vax's back and passing the ends around his chest; Vax knows this one, a quick harness to give her a foundation to work from. Indeed, she ties it fast, two lines of rope around his chest, then over his shoulder, a cinch, and back over his other shoulder. It has a very different effect on Vax than it has on, say, Keyleth, but the way that Pike can just yank him around once it's on is worth it.

"Arms behind your back," Percy says from behind him, but he grabs Vax's arms before Vax can move them, pulling them into position. Pike takes over from there, binding Vax's wrists with careful passes of rope; he can feel the ropework rather than see it, the way she ties it all the way up one arm and then the next, a criss-crossing design that Vax hopes will leave marks. That finished, she anchors Vax's wrists to the chest harness, and she has Vax right where she wants him.

Vax thinks that's going to be it, but then Pike picks up a length of thin red rope. Vax is rather concerned that the next place it's going to be might be his dick, but Pike walks behind him. Vax's hair is already in a ponytail, and she whips the rope around where the elastic is and further up, cinching it tight. Vax winces slightly as something she does pulls a few strands; it doesn't hurt enough to stop, but it is unpleasant. 

"I'm sorry, does that hurt?" Percy says, then he grabs Vax's hair and pulls until Vax's eyes water.

Pike laughs, in a sort of _oh, you_ tone. "You're in my way," she says, and Percy lets go. He apparently didn't disturb the rope work, which Pike finishes; the ends of the rope trail down the back of Vax's neck, and the soft brush of them makes him shiver.

"He's all yours," Pike says, and Percy steps in front of him, a smug expression on his face that Vax kind of wants to slap off and a set of nipple clamps dangling from a chain in his hand.

"I thought we might try a classic," Percy says, and without asking he sets one of the clamps on Vax's right nipple. Vax cries out at the sudden pain, but Percy is not dissuaded, doing the left side too. He grabs the chain and tugs, and Vax can't help but lean towards him, trying to mitigate the pain. "Yes, I think that will stay."

Percy steps aside, holding out a hand to indicate that it's Pike's turn, and she quickly threads a rope around the chain. She looks upwards, like she's calculating something, and throws the rope towards the ceiling. Luck is with her, because as Vax watches, it goes neatly over the rafter and falls down the other side.

"Got it in one," she says proudly, walking around behind Vax. The chain lifts worryingly as she pulls the rope down, and Vax is starting to see what's coming. Instead of anchoring the rope to some other fixed point, she grabs his hair; she left some kind of loop when she tied it up, because he can feel it as the rope is added to what's there. Pike keeps pulling it through, and the chain only goes higher. What concerns him is that his hair is now going up too, and before he can react, she's tying off the rope, short enough that both the chain and his hair are being insistently pulled on. 

Vax instantly goes up on his toes, the only way to put any slack in the rope. "So you've figured out the trick," Percy says with a smirk.

"Fuck you," Vax spits.

"That's not very polite," Pike says from behind him, and she puts a hand on his stomach, a grounding touch. "Percy's only trying to do something nice for you."

"Because I know you like it," Percy says, and Vax gasps as Percy tugs on the chain. "You'd never let us do this if you didn't want it so badly."

Vax is torn; he doesn't want Percy to feel like he's won, but he does want it. He wants the pain, and he wants both of them more than he can say. If they want to use him like this, as their plaything, he's going to let them every time.

Pike steps back from him, looking him over. "I like it," she tells Percy.

"Let's see how long he can make it," Percy says. "Despite his demeanor, I have high hopes for him."

They both just watch him, and Vax feels exposed, on display. He's here in the light, and all he's doing is trying to keep his balance. He just holds for a moment, but then he tries to find the right point, the least amount he needs to lift his heels to keep from putting strain on the rope. It's a painful trial and error, and Pike and Percy just sit there and enjoy him doing it.

"This was a good idea," Pike tells Percy.

"I'm glad you think so," Percy says. "It's simple, yet elegant."

"Classics are classics for a reason," Pike says. Their light, even tone grates on Vax's ears; he's still trying to negotiate the situation they've put him in, and they don't even care. He likes it and hates it in equal measures, but the hate is winning out. Finally he finds a comfortable spot, taking a few deep breaths as he carefully balances. 

"This won't do," Percy says. "We've made it too easy."

"Do you really think so?" Pike says.

Percy walks over to Vax again. He slips his fingers into the ropework and uses it to pull Vax forward; Vax makes a desperate noise as Percy throws him off balance, making him strain against the rope. Percy just grins, smug and self-satisfied, and if Vax could, he'd punch him in the face.

"Play nice," Pike says, coming to join them. "You don't need to torture him." She runs a hand down Vax's back, ending at his ass; her grabbing it is more welcome, except the part where it makes him jump, the clamps bouncing painfully as he does.

"You pretend you're not as crooked as the rest of us," Percy says.

"No," Pike says, scraping her fingernails up Vax's spine, making him shiver. "Everyone else pretends that."

"Touché," Percy says. He palms Vax's cock, the first touch he's gotten, and Vax does it to himself that time, arching into his hand and regretting it immediately. He can't remember the last time he felt so overwhelmed; for a moment he's on the edge of real fear, and he looks around desperately for Shaun, someone to calm him. Pike sees his distress and, thankfully, gets what he needs. She steps out of the way, so that Vax's eyeline isn't cut off. Shaun is still there, watching quietly but intently, and it calms him. He hasn't been abandoned to this torture; he has his safety net, even if it doesn't feel like it.

Percy has picked up on at least some of this, and he guides Vax backwards; it's not a painless process, but Vax ends up directly underneath the rafter he's basically attached to. From there it's easier to find the right spot again, balancing on his toes. That doesn't make it not hurt; there are still clamps on his nipples, even if they're not being actively pulled on, and his calves are showing the first signs of complaint.

"I like him like this," Pike says, as she and Percy both step back to watch again.

"It suits him," Percy says. "He's best when all he has to do is stand there and look pretty."

"Go fuck yourself," Vax says, but it comes out in a mumble. Percy just laughs at him, settling in to watch his predicament.

It's not Vax's willpower that fails him. He's fallen deep now, the world fuzzy and bright, but he'd stand here all night to prove a point. It's his body that's the problem. He just wasn't meant to stand indefinitely on his toes; nobody was, which is why people get put in this position to start with. It starts with a little bit of give, a little testing to see if he can lower himself another half an inch. He can't; the rope pulls cruelly, but right now, he's having trouble seeing that as a bad thing. His nipples ache and his scalp stings, but it's not stopping him, not when it feels good, the pain only helping him sink lower. And then it's another half an inch, and it's suddenly too much again; he raises himself up quickly, trying not to fall as he does it.

Through it, Percy and Pike don't move, discussing him like he were a painting or a vase or something. He's an object for them, a thing of beauty and nothing else; in this space, that feels okay. He's doing something to earn it, withstanding this torment, and he's going to keep doing it until he's spent.

That moment does come, and it comes sooner than Vax would like. He finally plants his heels on the floor, which hurts a great deal, and he can't find the strength to lift them again.

"I can't," Vax says. His voice is slurred even to his own ears, but something about that is right.

"We've got you," Pike says gently. She and Percy step into action; she takes the back and Percy takes the front. She unties the rope from his hair, and Percy takes the chain in one hand and pulls the rope down with the other.

"Brace yourself," he says, his fingers on the clamps, and without waiting for Vax's response, he opens both clamps. The pain crashes in instantly, and it jolts Vax awake; left with nothing else, he stomps his foot, needing something to express how much it hurts.

"It's okay," Pike says, untying the rope around Vax's ponytail, but she doesn't release his wrists.

"He's all yours," Percy says, facing away from Vax. "In one piece, as promised."

Shaun steps into Vax's view; he knows what Vax needs, holding Vax to him for a long moment. "Come on, my bird," Shaun says, clipping the leash on again. "I have one more thing for you."

Vax is glad of the leash then, because he has to be led to his next stop. Grog is leaning against the padded wall, and he watches Vax with sharp, predatory eyes.

"Special delivery," Shaun says to Grog.

"Looks slightly used," Grog says.

"More than slightly," Shaun says with a grin. "But still in excellent working order and ready to please."

"I can work with that," Grog says. Shaun unclips the leash, and Grog grabs Vax by the ropes that he's still wearing. He doesn't stop, using the momentum to slam Vax into the padding; it doesn't hurt, but it does knock the wind out of him, leaving him stunned for a moment.

Grog is on him in an instant, pushing him hard into the wall; he slaps Vax's ass, grabbing a big handful and digging his fingernails in. It puts Vax up on his toes again, which hurts in multiple ways, but luckily Grog doesn't keep him there. Instead, he pushes his hand into the front of Vax's underwear, stroking his cock in rough passes that make Vax pant and arch towards him.

"You look good like this," Grog says. He grabs the back of Vax's waistband and rips his underwear down; Vax swears he hears seams pop. "You look like a fuckin' mess, and I'm only gonna make it worse."

"Fuck me, big man," Vax breathes. Here, now, it's nothing to say it, nothing to admit it.

Grog laughs. "I think I like you like this," he says, kicking Vax's legs apart. "You'll let me do anything I want, and you'll beg for more."

"Yes," Vax says, gasping as Grog pushes two slick fingers into him. "Please give it to me."

Grog bars Vax's back with one arm, holding him fast against the padding. "We do this on my terms," he says. He's not gentle with his fingers either, but Vax wants every bit of it, wants to open up for Grog and take him in. He feels like his whole body is open, like he's been butterflied, every minute piece of him on full display. It makes him feel exposed, uncomfortably seen, but he's going to stay like that, keep riding that wave.

Grog isn't patient enough to draw it out much longer, but Vax didn't think he would be. He grips Vax's hip with one big hand, using the other to guide his cock. Vax bites his lip as Grog pushes inside, thick and inexorable and exactly what Vax wants. The only part of him that he can really move is his hips, so he rocks back against Grog, trying to encourage him to go faster, deeper.

"Knew you fuckin' loved it," Grog says, before biting Vax's shoulder, hard enough that Vax cries out. He starts pounding into Vax immediately, Vax crushed against the wall as he's made to take it. Vax can't do anything but moan; he knows he's being loud and he doesn't care, not when it's so good, not when he knows there's no one here who's going to judge him for it.

And that's just it; that's what Vax has so desperately wanted. He's been stripped down to nothing, used, broken into bits, and not a one of them has done anything but enjoy it. There's no shame, nothing but a pure expression of how he feels about these people, how much he's willing to do for them. They've taken all of it, seen him at his most degraded, and they're not running away.

"Harder," Vax pants, and Grog laughs.

"It's cute how you think you get a say," he says, pulling Vax back by his rope harness and shoving him into the wall again, but he speeds up, giving Vax everything he's got.

No one told Vax he couldn't come, so he doesn't try not to. Grog is just what he needs, everything he needs, his big cock hitting just the right spot. Vax tenses up, his body drawing tighter as his release gets closer and closer, and then it's there, snapping like an overtuned string, all of it pouring out of him as he paints the wall with his come.

"I'm not stopping," Grog says, sounding winded for the first time. Vax can't even answer, just lets himself be moved, lets Grog pound him. He's nothing but a thing for Grog to fuck, a toy, and he doesn't try to be anything else.

Vax doesn't know how long it lasts; it feels like Grog fucks him forever and not long enough. Grog puts a hand on his back, holding him against the wall as he thrusts in, quick and hard and losing rhythm. Vax groans when he feels Grog come, the way he slams in to the hilt and holds Vax tight, cock pulsing inside of him. Grog sighs in satisfaction, not moving for long moments, drawing it out until he finally pulls out, leaving Vax slumped against the wall.

Grog steps away for just a moment, probably to throw away the condom, but then he's back. His fingers are surprisingly deft, picking out the knots that Pike left, freeing first his arms, then his wrists, then undoing the harness. Vax stretches his arms; he can already feel that he's got rope burn, but nothing about that feels like a problem.

Grog carefully turns Vax around; Vax has no idea how he's still keeping his feet. Grog puts a finger under his chin, tipping his face up to kiss him. It's surprisingly sweet, and Vax smiles when they part.

"Yeah, you're fucked up," Grog says affectionately.

"Yup," Vax says. 

Both of them look over as Shaun approaches. "I hope it was to your satisfaction," Shaun says.

"You've always got the best stuff," Grog says. He steps back, letting Shaun clip the leash back onto Vax's collar and lead Vax away.

He leads Vax across the room and out of the dungeon, into the lounge. Someone has made a nest for him, pillows arranged in front of one of the couches, and Shaun takes him to it, sitting down on the couch and sitting Vax down on the pillows. The way they're placed, it's just right for Vax to rest his head on Shaun's knee.

"What a good boy," Shaun says, petting Vax's hair. "What a brave boy. You've done so well, my pet." Vax is past the point of talking; he shuts his eyes and enjoys it, the light touch of Shaun's hands, the soothing cadence of his speech.

"Am I late?" Keyleth asks, from the entrance to the lounge.

"I believe you're right on time," Shaun says.

"Did he do okay?" she asks, and she comes to their side, looking down at Vax. Vax's eyes flutter open, and he looks up at her, the way the light looks in her hair, the way she looks at him softly.

"Simply outstanding," Shaun says. "Care to join us?"

"If it's okay," she says. Vax manages to reach up and take her hand, tugging at her until she comes to join him on his pillows. Vax turns, putting an arm around her and pulling her close; Shaun rearranges too, so that he and Vax are still touching. Vax needs that, that physical connection, and he's incredibly lucky that he gets to have it. He lets himself drift, just enjoying it, luxuriating in his good fortune. Most people don't get a fraction of what he has, and he's done nothing to deserve having so much.

He's dimly aware that there are more people in the room now, but between Keyleth, soft in his arms, and Shaun, a steady presence at his back, it's kind of uninteresting. They're talking quietly, but it's a long while before Vax looks up towards them. Scanlan is sitting with an arm around Pike, who's explaining something to Grog that makes Grog frown in confusion, while Percy looks faintly amused by the whole thing. It could feel so awkward, but instead Vax feels pulled towards them, still full to bursting with how much he cares for them. Nothing about this changed that, but somehow it feels so much better. They know now, they have the proof in front of them, and none of them have turned away.

"He lives," Scanlan says, seeing Vax watching.

"Something like that," Vax says, the first coherent thing he's been able to string together for a while.

"You good?" Grog asks.

"Never better in my whole life," Vax says, and he means it.


End file.
